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Climb Like A Gecko

Geckos have remarkable hairs on their feet that allow them to hang single-toed from sheer walls and scamper along ceilings. Researchers and engineers at the University of California, Berkeley have created an array of synthetic microfibers to mimic this natural phenomenon. Made of high-friction materials that prevent sliding under high loads, these polypropylene fibers can hold a quarter to a glass slide that is tilted at an 80 degree angle. These fibers are highly packed, with approximately 42 million fibers per square centimeter, each fiber measuring 20 micrometers in length and 0.6 micrometers in diameter. One micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter. However, these fibers do not exhibit adhesion, which means that even if they make micro-fiber suits, people shouldn’t try any Spiderman stunts!